Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1139 — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

. 5 — 2 : we —_— oe ~~ a ee ti all sper designed for a tent-pole. Procuring a small block and light line from the crew’s quarters, he pro- ceeded to reeve halliards. Lashing the block to the end of the pale, he wrapped the line along its length. Then raising it to his shoulder, he again ascended the stairway. He reached the narrow ledge leading to the pirate's quar- ters. Leaning the pole against the face of the cliff he cleared the halliards. Taking the end of these in his hand and wrapping the flags around his body, he began the steeper ascent. Sure footed as a chamois, he gained the summit at last, and then, pulling on the rope, he raised the pole to his side. After a little search, he found a narrow cleft in the rock upon which to plant his flagstaff, The wind whistled around his ears with violence. It was no easy matter to raise the pole to its place; but+he did so, at last, and wedging the foot of it se- curely in its place with fragments of rock, he un- rolled his pee Selecting three of these, he attached them to the halliards and hoisted them to the peak. “There,’’ he exclaimed, in satisfaction, as he placed a heavy stone upon the dieses flags and zain descended, “I fancy that even the dwarf’s Ss ae eyes will fail to see what is directly above his head. I must be on my guard to-morrow, too, for should Santillez take it in his head to return, his eyes must not rest upon what I have done in his absence,”’ So saying he re-entered we pete 2 quarters. The task he now set him to perform was no easy one. It was none other than to remove the pi- rate’s gold and jewels to a hiding-place known only to himself. It was laborious work, indeed, but he Ki «: stubbornly on at his task. t daylight he awoke the dwarf and ordered him to prepare breakfast, his was soon placed before him, but as he sat down to the table, he noticed, that the dwarf seemed fearful and uneasy. Knowing well the latter’s revengeful and _ treach- erous disposition, he watched him noob & As he raised a cup of fragrant coffee to his lips, a peculiar light glittered in the dwarf’s eyes, He set the cup down without tasting. . ‘* Baba,” said he, very quietly, but with a danger- ous flash in his dark eyes, ** you will force me to kill bag yet. Take away the coffee and bring me a bot- e of wine instead, I do not care to be poisoned.” The dwarf trembled in aged limb at these words. His craftily-laid scheme had failed. Doubly true did it seem to him now that this terri- ble master was indeed able to read his very thoughts. For the present, at least, he was staggered in the hope of being able to outwit the man he hated. he mind of the dwarf was racked with conflict- ing fears. On the one hand an invisible and power- ful influence compelled him against his will to serve the man he hated. Again a tremor seized him as he eRepess of what would be his punishment when his rightful master returned. How was he to reveal the truth when the only means of doing so—his tongue—was powerless to perform its duty? | It was death to defy his present master, and most likely the same from the true one. He began seriously to think that the only way out of the dilemma would be to throw himself into the sea, and thus escape them both. ‘That was a narrow escape for me,’ said John Frazer, thoughtfully. ‘‘Had Baba been a little less ignorant, and more able to conceal his emotions, I should have swallowed his dose, without suspicions. Danger on every hand. I seem to be treading the verge of a precipice. Would thatI could but see my way clear from the labyrinth that surrounds me! Ah, my loved ones, how little you dream of'the dangers that envelop me at this moment!”’ He pushed back his chair and rose to his feet. Se- lecting a cigar from the pirate’s store, he lit it and approached the door. Glancin cautiously around to assure himself that the dwarf was not in sight, he icked up a telescope and ascended to the top of e cliff, from which he could sweep the horizon in ary: direction. Adjusting the focus of his glass, he gazed long and earnestly over the sea. Not a sail in sight. ; “The cruiser must have abandoned her search for the pyesent,” he sighed. “Ah, if she would but come this way before that villain takes it into his head to return! ‘ It aay be months before such an opportunity will yain occur.” uoyed with hope he remained at his post the livelong day; but no sail appeared toreward his . eyes. y 4s the sun began slowly to sink beneath the wa- ters, he sadly descended from his post. as Supper Slave, at once!’’ he said, peremptorily, coming suddenly upon the dwarf. The latter hurried to obey. Keenly on the alert as usual, John Frazer noticed that a handsome arm-chair had been drawn to the head of tne table for his accommodation. He glanced at it with suspicion. ‘*Nothing like being upon my rd,’ he mut- tered, as he proceeded to examine it critically in the dwart’s absence. “There may be a trap in this thing, for all know. I'll wait and see.” Soon afterward the dwarf reappeared, loaded with tempting dishes. Ashe set them down his body came directly in front of the chair, Standing behind his back John Frazer reached for- ’ ward, grasped him by both shoulders and forced him back in the seav. It was al] done so quickly the dwarf had no chance The Ocean Bloodhound > ——— a to save himself. He fell back with a gurgling cry and then the mystery of the chair was revealed, From cunningly concealed sockets, there suddenly sprung out long curved bands of steel, and the oc- cupant of the chair was a helpless prisoner. Feet, arms, and neck were encircled in their grasp in such a manner that it was impossible to escape! ‘* Foiled again, Baba!" said John Frazer, coolly. “You see itis of no use. I hardly think it will be worth my while to spare your life. However, I'll consider the matter while I'm eating my supper. Meanwhile I shall allow you to occupy the chair you so kindly provided for my accommodation.”’ And, eat his supper he did, watching the’ terror- stricken face of the helpless dwarf with undiszuised Ps pe sep lath Having finished a hearty meal, he said, quietly; ‘** Now I will see what can be done for you. In the. first place you must tell me the secret of the spring or I’m afraid I shall have to leave you there unti your scoundrel of a master returns,”’ The dwarf’s eyes rolled violently. He made a backward motion witb his head and uttered a gur- eling sound, ‘‘In this neighborhood, ehy”’ said John Frazer coolly. ‘* Ah! this must be it, then,” pressing a small round knot as he spoke. As he did so the steel bands shot back into their hiding-places with a sharp click, ‘I’ve thought it all over, Baba, and concluded to spare your life ‘Ais time,’ said John Frazer, as the dwarf sprung to his feet. ‘“‘ Beware, thout‘h, how rou try any more such experiments on me again! ow clear away the table.” So saying he picked up a book from a handsome rack hangitg against the wall and pretenied to be interested in its contents, but in reality, was covert- ly watching the dwarf’s every movement, The latter proceeded with his task, with marked trepidation. There was evidently something preying upon his mind. Moving back the fatal chair against the wall, the dwarf next took the one that Frazer had lately oc- cupied and carelessly set it over in one corner of the room, He was unusually long in clearing away the dishes, Even then he soon after returned to the room, In one corner, close to the spot where he had placed the second chair, a handsome awinging lamp depended from the ceiling. This the dwarf lighted and then proceeded to tidy up the apartment. “Till change my seat while he’s tidying up,”’ thought John Frazer, as he started to rise. In doing so, he rested his weight somewhat heavily upon the corner of the table. There was a sudden crash and then a section of the floor underneath the lamp, just lighted by the dwarf, seca disappeared ! The unoccupied chair standing on the spot was in- stantly swallowed up out of sight! ae its fall, came the sound of wood upon steel. ‘Trap number three,’’ said John Frazer, his face slightly pale. He looked around for the dwarf; but the latter had disappeared in the darkness of the night, and walking over to the spot, he looked down, A shud- der ran through his veins as he did so. The light overhead revealed a deep well-like cavity; some five feet in diameter, Its sides were lined with sharp, murderous-looking blades, their points projecting outward, CHAPTER XX. FRIENDS IN COUNCIL, THE cruiser ‘“‘ Vixen’? was pursuing her way with her bow pointed toward the nearest port where she might be enabled to replace her lost spars. The faces of her officers were sad and despondent. Fate seemed to have aided their enemies, when victory was almost within their grasp. “Well, there is no use in crying over what can‘ be Lelped,”’ said the first lieutenant, with an attempt at cheerfulness, to the officers seated around the ward-room table. *“What makes it worse,’’ continued the speaker, “is to think that he boarded that brig right under our noses, as it were, and yet we missed him, By the way, Mr, Wilson, I forgot to ask you her name,” “Not a very poetical one, I must confess,’’ an- swered the second lieutenant, with asmile. ‘ she was the Nancy Jones, from ‘Rio’ to New York, with a mixed cargo,” But the latter part of the sentence was scarcely heard. Every eye was turned in surprise upon the sip omen ringing is feet, his every nerve quive with aacabentent he said, hastily: re + ae . There was ho one icilled, I hope?’ No,” was the reply. “The captain had a, hard rap on the head or something of that kind, and I be- lieve the mate was hurt; but nothing serious. Why do you ask?” “ Because, the captain of that vessel is my own Sa- ther/ Oh, to think of the danger he was in, and I suspected nothing of it at all!” | “* Allthe better for us, Ishould say, Paul,” remark- ed Captain Clark, who had been listening to the con- versation. ‘* Had you known the truth, you would have been for jumping the ‘ Vixen’ ever the reefs past pane instead of taking to the channel, as we id.” There was a general laugh at this sally, and then Mr. Wilson said, auiey ‘“‘Mr, Jones comes of good old fighting stock, that is easily seen. [had a report of the affair from the mate of the brig. He told me that the captain defi- ed his enemies even when he was helplessly bound and ia their power." an ~~ a LL A I A ' ' ' ee eee ee ee eee Ce 1 1 - = — ae °e ee 8 nw 1 wr ee” Yes, brave Job Rogers had fully extolled his cap- tain’s courage; but he said never a word of his own heroism on that occasion. Like all true heroes he was very modest in sounding his own praises, ‘We interrupted the chap in the very nick of time,"’ said the second lieutenant, continuing hia story. There was a lady on board whom the villains tried to capture just as they sighted us, but they left the brig in such haste that they even forgot ta take with them the bag of gold they had throwa on the table,”’ If will be seen that the story was far from being correctly told; but then Job Rogers had given him the outlines, ‘At any rate, Paul, you ean now rest easy in your mind,’ said Captain Clark, kindly. ‘ By this time our father is far enough away from this locality to ear nothing more from Santillez. ‘** You're right there, captain,’ chimed in Mr. Wil- son; “and, what is more, the pirate will not—” “ Officer of the deck reports a sai) in sight, sir,” announced a young middy, suddenly appe g in the doorway and saluting the captain, ** Let us go on deck, gentlemen, and-gee what it is,"’ and the captain proceeded to the look-out, ‘I hope she may Carry a re spar that we can borrow.”' “She seems 60 be in distress, sir,'’ said the officer in charge, as.the Commander of the Vixen step upon the bridge. “I can make out a flag flying’ ut at this distance it is impossible to distin the colors.” “ Bring me my telescope, youngster,”’ ordered th captain to the boy who attended him, . tt was a costly and powerful instrument. Hardly had he glanced through the tube before he said: *Itis a merchantman in distress. Put the ship about at once.”’ The necessary orders were quickly carried out. The huge ship swung round on her heel and head- ed directly for the strange sail. | * Will you allow me to take that glass for a mo- ment, captain?” asked the first lieutenant, with a tremor of agitation in his voice, * Certainly, Mr. Jones: What! are you still ner- vous about your father’s safety? He must be many miles away ere this.” ‘YOu forget the storm last night, sir,"’ was the re spectful reply, as the young man took the glass. “Ah!” he ac ded, suddenly, with renewed excite ment; ‘‘[am not mistaken; yonder craft is my fa ther’s brig.”’ ‘**Never mind, Paul,” said Captain Clark, with ¢ quiet smile; “ we'll run down te her just as quick ag we can. I never pase a vessel in distress,”’ Very impatiently did the officers of the Vixes watch the vessel they were slowly approaching. “She has been roughly handled in the storm, 1 see,’ remarked Captain Clark, to the sailing-master besidé him; ‘most of her top-hamper is carriéd away.’ Lowering his tone,so that his Neutenant should not overhear him, he added: | ‘*‘T can only see five men on her deck. The rest of them must have been washed overboard in the gale last night, else they would surely be on deck when they know we are coming to their aid,” A half-hour later, the short distance of the brig and a boat lowered, the first lieutenant in the stern sheets, “Give way strong, men,” he cried to the crew, ‘I have a deep interest in yonder vessel.” Little need bad the men of urging. The young of- ficer was well liked by them all. Their broad backs were bent to their oars until it seemed as if the tough blades would break under the pressure. As the cut- ter’s side scraped the brig, the young officer grasped the rope thrown him, and sprung on deck, The first man to receive him was his own father! The old man’s face was pale, but the indomitable spirit he possessed still snapped in his eyes, ‘* Jerusalem!” he exclaimed, delightedly; “I de- clare if it ain’t my own Paul.” The next moment father and son were clas in each other's arms. As the young officer released himself from that embrace and glanced around, he said, hurriedly: “What has happened to you? You all seem to be hurt; and what bas become of the rest of the crew?” ‘Dead, my lad,’’ said the old man solemnly, ’ “Wor Heaven's sake what do you mean?” Pirates!" replied Captain Zeke. ‘We've hada most wonde escape.’ : i But I thought—that is, I heard you did not lose man. ‘* Nuther we did, Paul, ‘he fust time.” The young officer started as if he had been stung. ‘“What!"” he gasped, ‘you don’t mean to say the scoundrel paid you a second visit?” ‘Not the same chap; but I’m pretty sartin now, that it was the same gang.” ‘** When did all this happen ?”” “Not four hours ago.’ “Describe their vessel,”’ “As trim a schooner as ever I set eyes on, Paul, and sailed by as big a scoundrel as ever went un- hung.”’ C Tbelieve all that,’ replied the young officer quick- ly, ‘for we’ve met him before.” Why, it was ‘only last night that we chased the villain and carried away our foretopmast without being able to over- haul him, You must go back jo the ‘Vixen’ with me and tell Captain Clark the whole story.” ‘* But, I can’t leave my ship, Paul. e’re. short- handed enough as it is and—’ ‘You needn’t make any more excuses, father, for here comes a second boat's crew to your relief, Captain Clark is a regular trump. Irather think he suspected something wrong from the start, “Well?” he asked inquiringly as the second boat ” ixen was hove to, within a. i_+.«